Systems for monitoring and/or controlling security devices have become increasingly popular in recent years. Such systems are used to communicate with security devices such as lights, thermostats, or security systems.
Some conventional systems for controlling and monitoring security devices allow a user to access a server from a remote location using a device such as a desktop computer. For example, a user can use a desktop computer located in a remote location to connect with the server. The user can then send commands to the server to control various security devices. For example, the user can turn lights on or off. In another example, the user accesses a video feed stored at the server that receives a video stream from a camera at a monitored location.
Such conventional systems for controlling and/or monitoring security devices have at least the following disadvantages and limitations. The connection between the user's remote computer and the server may not be secured. A user could establish a secure connection, but the cost and complexity involved in establishing such a connection are high. Such systems are also complex for users to implement and maintain. For example, the server may be difficult to install and configure. Programming such systems can also be cumbersome and require custom configurations when adding supplemental security devices or services. Last, it is difficult for the user to access the server using different types of remote devices. For instance, conventional systems only allow a user to access the offsite server using, for example, a secured desktop computer located in the user's workplace.